Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects (1989)

Director: J Lee Thompson
Starring: Charles Bronson, Perry Lopez, Juan Fernandez

Synopsis:
An LA vice detective finds himself conflicted in the hunt for a missing Japanese girl due to his own harsh anti-Japanese sentiments over a visiting businessman molesting his daughter.

Impressions:
Golan-Globus specializes in cheese and sleaze. Firewalker was the cheese, now here comes the sleaze. I decided to watch this thinking it might be like Death Wish. I hadn't actually seen Death Wish at this point, but I wanted to and thought this might be a starting point. My impression upon seeing this was "If this is what Death Wish is like... woof." I mean, the movie starts with our hero sodomizing a john. Our hero, ladies and gentlemen. I suppose I should just be thankful the film just skates along the surface of the child prostitution ring that's the center of the plot. There's no real resolution to the subplot of Lt. Crowe's daughter getting molested. I don't know if that was intentional or just sloppy writing. I also have an interest in pre-bubble burst Japan and how it was handled in American films, but don't expect a great portrayal here. (And I'm not saying that just because it's unflattering. It's just poorly handled.) If you really want to wade into the seedy side of late-80s LA, you might be willing to give this one a shot, but for the most part, I'd advise skipping it. For most people, it's safe to assume this movie itself is kinjite.

Rating:
Avoid It